Thursday, March 18, 2010

Rapunzel

The story of Rapunzel is not just a fairytale, but a great romance story. Stolen from her parents through trickery, the girl was raised by an evil Witch, who's jealousy knew no bounds. The girl became more lovely every day, and filled with every good virtue, grew like a beautiful wild rose. Seeing the girl's beauty and goodness, the Witch hid Rapunzel in the top of a tall stone tower, deep in the forest.

Innately musical, the girl loved to sing, and filled much of her time learning the haunting melodies of the birds and wind blown trees.

One day a young Nobleman hunting in the forest followed her song to the tower. Alighting from his horse, he walked around its base. Finding no doorway, and filled with curiosity, he shouted a greeting. Imagine his astonishment as he viewed the sweet face of a girl leaning from the window above.

Frightened at first, Rapunzel hid, listening to his queries. Something about his voice warmed her heart. Setting her fear aside, for the first time in her life, the girl spoke to another human being besides her evil captor. But when dusk filled the air, she told the boy to leave--if he were to stay, his life would be in danger. Reluctantly, because of her tears, he left vowing to return.

And so their great romance was born. Before the days of cell phones and the internet, their long-distance romance was of another sort. As their friendship grew, the young Nobleman was filled with a longing to see her face to face. So, unbeknownst to Rapunzel, he devised a plan to rescue her.

Hidden in the forest, he watched as the Witch appeared in a shuddering cloud of brown smoke. The old woman cried out, "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair." A rope of shimmering gold braid slid from the tower window to the ground. Grasping her bundles, the Witch weirdly clambered its length to the tower room.

When the Witch was gone, the boy gathered his courage and shouted, "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair." He quickly climbed to the window sill of the round tower room. Leaping to the flagstone floor he saw her. There she is, there is my love. He clasped the girl in his arms, and looking into her sweet face, he kissed her. He pleaded with her to come away with him.

But she was afraid. "You will die, if I leave with you." And so they continued to meet.

Then the tragedy. Sensing something had changed, the evil Witch found them out. One day, the gallent young nobleman, bearing a bouquet of roses, sprang into the room. Rapunzel, her golden braid shorn away, screamed a warning and threw herself into his arms. But the lovers were wrenched apart. The Witch screamed her rage. The boy was cruelly pinned against the wall. The girl fell to her knees among the scattered rosebuds, pleading for his life.

"I knew someone had been here," gloated the Witch, "Now you will pay dearly." Turning to the girl, she said, "You will never see him again." Rapunzel vanished in a crash of stinking brown smoke. "And you will blindly seek, and never find her," snarled the Witch to the boy.

A twitch of her gnarled fingers. The boy was instantly blinded by the thorns of the roses he'd brought and brutally thrown from the tower.

For years he wandered, seeking his love. One day, resting at the foot of a mighty oak, he heard a familiar haunting song--then the sound of footsteps. He felt soft hands touching his poor blinded face.

Then a beloved voice shaken with sobs, "Is it you, my dear love?" Rapunzel kissed his ravaged face with her lips and her hot tears fell into his sightless eyes. But as she wept and held him close to her heart, suddenly he could see again. Miraculously Rapunzel's tears of love and faithfulness had broken the evil spell.

And of course, they lived happily ever after. Because once the spell was broken, the Witch had no more power over them. And besides, since the unsurmountable power of true love cannot be broken, the old Witch grew hopelessly bored in trying and so decided to put her evil attention on other dastardly doings.

Peach Tree in Snow

About Me

My mother, Author Eva Gibson, says,"Everybody loves a story." These are the untold stories hidden behind each piece of my artwork. Some are whimsical or sad, others funny. There are stories rooted in science fiction and fairytales--some classical, others born from my imagination. Many pieces reflect my love for the Creator. Often, hidden behind my art, are stories from real life experiences. Indeed, over the years I've discovered the old saying is true. "Truth IS often stranger than fiction."

A midget who told me, when I was depressed about people making fun of me because we had no money and no new clothes and I was wearing everything second handed. He told me, "You are the only one in the world, make the most of it." -- Abe Lincoln, Artist, photographer (Ohio)

My Camera and Me

I carry my camera everywhere I go. Here you see one of my Cloud Paintings. I find unusual shapes, faces, animals in just about everything, especially clouds. Often I am able to enhance or "paint" my photos so others can see what my imagination has revealed.

What an honor to be a featured artist for this wonderful webpage!

A Fairytale Mind

This is a link to my favorite book reviewer. Rena Lanyon gives a well-written review from a youthful perspective.

When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I have not a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me Lord."-- Darlene Pringle, Artist

"Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass....it's about learning how to dance in the rain."

You've Got Heart Award

Life should be measured not by the number of years, but the love shared, the memories made, the joy given, the blessings received.

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Old Woman Trees

The pine needles click…Click…Knitting stray wisps of wind
Into scarves of song.

~ Dorothy Marie Davis

Copyright Questions

My stories and artwork may not be reproduced, copied, edited, published, transmitted or uploaded in any way without my written permission (which is easy to get via email).

If you have my permission and use my artwork and/or writings, please credit me and put a link to my blog. Let me know when you use my work, so I can visit.

I expect my stories and artwork will be used in a tasteful manner. If my work is used in a manner which I deem unsuitable, I reserve the right to remove any permission granted to use my stories and artwork, which then must be immediately removed.